Conservation News
Pitts won?t say if House will punt water-fund issue to voters (DMN 5-14-13)
Frack well permitting/ASR Update (TFB Austin Newsletter 5-11-13)
Water Conservation
HB 3013, by Representative Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio), passed the House Natural Resources Committee.? HB 3013 helps facilitate water projects that will allow surface water and groundwater to be stored in underground aquifers for later retrieval and beneficial use. The bill updates the permitting, reporting and fee process for construction and maintenance of aquifer storage and recovery projects. The Texas Water Development Board will develop rules for the groundwater districts to administer these projects.
SB 873, by Senator Glenn Hegar (R-Katy), was recently passed by the Senate.?SB 873 requires water wells used for hydraulic fracturing or other activities related to the production of oil and gas to comply with the district’s rules or permitting requirements.
Water Legislative Update (TFB Austin Newsletter 5-11-13)
HB 4, by Representative Allan Ritter (R-Nederland), and SB 4, by Senator Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay), have both been passed by the Senate.? The bills create the State Water Implementation Fund to finance revolving loan programs for water infrastructure and conservation projects. The committee substitute still requires the 16 different Regional Water Planning Groups in the state to prioritize projects in their regional plans, and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) will be required to rank projects in the State Water Plan according to a point system.? However, the point system is no longer tiered, and the TWDB must give equal weight to the following factors in awarding points:
The TWDB must award the highest points to projects that meet the following criteria:
*? Serve large populations
*? Provide assistance to a diverse urban and rural population
*? Provide regionalization
*? Meet a high percentage of the water supply needs of the water users to be served by the project
*? Amount of local contribution to finance the project
*? Financial capacity of the applicant to repay
*? Ability of the board and applicant to leverage financing in a timely manner
*? Whether there is an emergency
*? If the project is “shovel ready” at the time of application
*? The effect on water conservation
*? Priority given by Regional Water Planning Groups
To ensure that rural areas are supported, at least 10 percent of the fund must be used for projects designed to serve rural political subdivisions and agriculture water conservation projects. The bills also require 20 percent of projects funded to be dedicated to water conservation and reuse. Updated language in the bills specifies that agricultural water conservation projects qualify under either of these fund set asides.
The bills change the structure and administration of the Texas Water Development Board. The Board will consist of three members instead of six and none may have served before Jan. 1, 2013. They also impose a two-term limit, and board member positions will become full time. Additionally, the bills provide that one member must have experience in engineering, one in public or private finance, and one in the field of law or business.
The House refused to concur in the Senate’s amendments to the bill. As a result, the bill has gone to Conference Committee. Committee members include:
House Chair:
Alan Ritter
Jim Keffer
Bill Callegari
Eddie Lucio III
Doug Miller
Senate Chair:
Troy Fraser
Glenn Hegar
Craig Estes
Tommy Williams
Carlos Uresti
No solution yet for water project funding (AAS 5-10-13)
NO APPETITE IN HOUSE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO FUND WATER (QR 5-9-13)
May 9, 2013 ???? 4:27 PM
NO APPETITE IN HOUSE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO FUND WATER
Straus and Pitts confirm that they remain committed to their approach even after AG Abbott?s letter clarifies that the House?s plan would involve a vote to break the spending cap
House Speaker Joe Straus and his chief budget writer said this afternoon that they remain committed to finding $2 billion for water this session without resorting to a constitutional amendment that would be submitted to the voters in November.
Their comments confirm that budget writers in the House and Senate have yet to find common ground on a funding mechanism for the revolving infrastructure bank that would capitalize the state?s share of a plan to secure water resources for the next 50 years.
The division between the two chambers is persisting even after the promulgation of a letter from Attorney General Greg Abbott clarifying that money spent out of the Rainy Day Fund counts toward the constitutional spending cap.
Senate Finance Chairman Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) was quick to tout the letter as an endorsement of the Senate?s constitutional amendment approach to funding water and a couple of other spending priorities as it would not count against the cap. The Senate has passed SJR 1 that would put before the voters a $5.7 billion appropriation from the RDF, which has inflated to historically unprecedented levels because of sustained high energy prices, to invest in water, roads and education.
http://www.quorumreport.com/? (Daily Buzz)
‘Eau de Sewage’ seen as water solution in parched West Texas (WFAA.com 5-8-13)
New Mexico, El Paso farmers cut crops, use wells in drought (El Paso Times 5-9-13)
Perry says he?ll bring lawmakers back if tax cuts, water funding aren?t adequate (AAS 5-9-13)
Perry on “Water End Game” (Must Read Texas 5-9-13)
The end game for the 2013 Legislative Session was spelled out by Governor Perry yesterday, with three specific demands: 1) $1.8 billion in tax relief, 2) a balanced budget with no fee increases for transportation, 3) $2 billion of infrastructure for water. ?Otherwise, he promises a special session. ?Keep in mind, two special sessions are already considered likely (redistricting, and later, education funding) and, as Texas Tribune’s Ross Ramsey pointed out, Perry is expecting his first grandchild in June and is likely to be in Austin already.